BPDL - Bétons Préfabriqués du Lac - Applies New Technology to an Established Way of Working with Tekla's 3D BIM

Applying new technology to an established way of working can be a cumbersome process, but BPDL Bétons Préfabriqués du Lac have rapidly succeeded with the implementation of Tekla’s 3D BIM (Building Information Modeling) and detailing tool in their operations.

Working together, Tekla and BPDL’s management team committed to a new way of working, which brought them up to speed using Tekla Structures software.

One year later, 12 architectural precast projects have been designed and detailed with Tekla Structures, with many more projects in the pipeline.

THE solution for precast concrete manufacturing

Tekla is determined to increase the competitiveness and cost savings of the precast concrete sector with fast and effective implementation of an innovative and error-free software tool.

Tekla Structures software is the first real parametric 3D BIM solution for precast concrete detailers and manufacturers. It is a unique modeling and detailing solution that integrates the entire precast workflow from sales and conceptual design to manufacture and erection.

Tekla Structures provides users with the ability to design and create an intelligent building model of any size, material or complexity with ease and precision.

The 3D model contains all the information required for different aspects of a project, including erection drawings, piece tickets, bills of material, scheduling dates, rebar bending schedules, tracking information, and detailing and production of, e.g, Sandwich panels.

BPDL Bétons Préfabriqués du Lac

One of Canada’s leading precast concrete manufacturers, BPDL is a family run business
that specializes in the design, production, transportation and installation of precast concrete units. The company has been active in the industry since 1976, with six plants located in Quebec and a plant in São Paulo, Brazil. BPDL has always been characterized by its know-how and advanced technology, but mostly by the quality of its products and the professionalism of its team. As a leader in the industry, BPDL has been invited to participate in the expansion of the Fenway Park, the Hilton at Logan Airport, the Boston tunnel and, most recently, the new NY Yankee Stadium, all of which are good examples of complex and long-range production. More information at www.bpdl.com

Essex County Veterans Courthouse

Essex County Veterans Courthouse was a small but complex job located in Newark, New Jersey. It contained both architectural and structural panels.

There were 42 24-inch thick Sandwich Panels with a light sandblast on the exterior, some reaching 30 feet in length, with a complex rebar splicing system and weighing approximately 40,000 lbs each. All of the Sandwich panels were modeled in Tekla Structures.

The project required a temporary steel support structure during the erection process, which called for a very complex erection sequence. Tekla Structures software was used to model each structure, which ranged from simple structural concrete to more complex architectural facades.

All erection drawings, shop tickets, reinforcing bars, connections and drawings were generated and completed within the 3D environment of Tekla Structures. BPDL also collaborated with the subcontractors using the steel temporary structure as a reference. In addition, the project involved very complex connection systems and plenty of drawings.

Precast and steel in unison

BPDL had to model the temporary steel support structure of the Essex County Veterans Courthouse to help visualize how the temporary structure would support the precast during the erection. Tekla Structures had a direct impact on how they could use the structural model to see how the precast would be supported.

“This type of support system was necessary,” said Guy Bouchard, Vice President and Chief Engineer at BPDL. “Otherwise the building would not have been erectable.”

“BPDL’s rapid implementation of our product is a result of their management’s commitment to this process and clearly shows that Tekla Structures enhances productivity for Precast Fabricators, and can do so very quickly,” stated Alistair Wells, Tekla Inc. Segment Manager for Precast in North America.

“We are very committed to Tekla Structures and it’s proving itself as a new way of working for many precast detailers. Projects in Tekla are now done as rapidly as with CAD – and this continues to improve. We have already seen a 50% reduction in errors and can now share our 3D models with anyone in the project team,” said Guy Bouchard.

Today, BPDL has more than tripled their investment in Tekla Structures Precast Detailing licenses and are continuing to convert more of their large detailing group from the older 2D method to the more efficient 3D way of working

Previous Article

Cité Rotterdam: Fast changes, high quality

Modeling thousands of parts and panels of the housing complex in 3D, including steel as well as both precas...